Putter type golf club



y 20, 1948- J. R. STERNBERG ET AL 2,445,713

PUTTER TYPE GOLF CLUB 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1947 y 20, J. R. STERNBERG -r AL PUTTER TYPE GOLF CLUB 2 Sheets-Sh'eetZ Filed June 4, 1947 mum I IWH Qvwwwtomd JUL E5 1? JrER/vaE/ia Mmev L. 5. STERNBERG Patented July 20, 1948 PUTTER TYPE GOLF CLUB Jules R. Sternberg and Mary L. B. Sternberg,

Fort Smith, Ark.

Application June 4, 1947, Serial No. 752,448 4 Claims. (01. era-so) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a golf club of the putter type. The primary objective of our invention is to provide a putter that permits addressing the ball by a natural stance and automatically guiding the putting stroke in a true pendulum swing to maintain a high degree of accuracy in putting.

Another object of our invention is to provide a modified form of grip for the putter wherein the club is mechanically fulcrumed and guided in one hand of the user without physical contact therewith and stroked only by the other hand gripping the club shaft which eliminates rolling of the wrists that destroys the accuracy of the swing.

A further object of our invention is to compensate for the oblique angle that the club shaft extends from the user to the club head by maintaining the club grip and head in parallel horizontal planes. V 7

Still another object of our invention is to provide a specially designed club head for the putter with a low center of gravity and preponderance of weight at the rear of the shaft connection to facilitate the pendulum swing.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a club head with a striking face that permits overspin rounded corners to produce a streamline effect and runners on the sole of the club to reduce frictional ground contact that might interfere with the continuity of the stroke.

These and other objects of the present invention will appear as the following description thereof proceeds, and in order to more clearly understand the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which an embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front perspective showing the putter in use.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a view of the grip of the club laid in the left hand of a user with the hand open.

Figure 4 is a similar view with the hand closed.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the putter with a golf ball in front of the face thereof.

Figure 6 is a, side elevation partly in section on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detailed view of the grip partly in section, and

Figure 8 is a top plan View of the club head.

In using a conventional golf club of the putter type the grip portion of the club shaft is laid in the palms of both hands positioned one above the other and the fingers tightly wrapped around the shaft. With this grirp it is practically impossible to obtain a smooth accurate pendulum swing due to the roll of the wrists on the stroke. To overcome this defect and to permit a true pendulum swing of a putter which is a necessity for accurate putting we have provided a modified club grip to accomplish that result.

In the drawing we have shown a putter comprising a head i having a conventional shaft 2 which extends at a slight angle therefrom. In the conventional club the shaft extends at an oblique angle from the user to the club head to permit a normal and natural stance in addressing the golf ball for putting. We have provided the upper end of the shaft 2 with an extension 3 which follows the angle of the shaft 2 for a slight distance and is then bent at 4 back to vertical with respect to the ground line.

Through the upper end of the extension 3 is rigidly affixed at a medial point a cross rod 5 forming bearings at each side of the extension. Mounted on said bearings are sleeves 6 which are free so the bearing rod 5 may rotate therein. The sleeves are held in position by end caps I on the rod 5 or any other similar means. Depending from the inner ends of the sleeves 6 are flanges 8 between which the vertical portion of the extension 3 is guided.

The club head I is especially designed to facilitate the operation of a putter of this character and comprises a body 9, best shown in Figures 5, 6 and 8, formed usually of metal and have a vertical front face 10, the ball striking portion thereof being roughened !by horizontal scores II with a very slight upthrust that serves to put a gentle but effective over spin on the ball when struck. This tends to insure a positive true roll and minimizes the possibility of hopping.

A tail portion [2 projects rearwardly from the head I and is rounded as clearly shown in Figure 8. This tail portion is slightly below the center of the head I, the vertical and horizontal position thereof being shown in dotted indicating lines [3 and I4 in Figure 6. All sharp comers of the head I are rounded as shown at 15 to produce a streamline effect for the head. The sole or bottom of the club head I is provided with a plurality of runners l6 of a rocker configuration as clearly shown in Figure 6. The shaft 2 is joined to the head I in the conventional manner at H.

The use of our putter is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The player fulcrums the club in the left hand by laying the cross bar 5 and sleeves 6 across the same as shown in Figure 3. The

extension 3 and flanges 8 are positioned between the second and third fingers. When the fingers are wrapped around the sleeves 6 as shown in Figure 4 the club is fulcrumed in the left hand as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. It will be noted there is no actual physical contact between the fingers and the bearing rod 5 so the tautness or looseness of the grip is irrelevant. The bearing is absolutely free. in. the sleeves 6 and the club is adapted to swing mechanic-ally in a true pendulum. The extension 3 of the handle 2 is guided in its swing between the flanges 8 on the gripped sleeves 6.

The fact that the bearing rod 5 and clubhead l are in parallel horizontal planes compensates for the oblique angle of the shaft 2 and no unnatural or distorted stance is necessary to use our putter.

The putting stroke is made by the user gripping the shaft 2 below the modified grip and pushing the shaft. No guiding is necessary for the right handafter the. ball has; been lined up with the cup and: it is only used: to. regulate the force of the stroke. The. club swings perfectly free by the grip described and is fulcrumed and guided entirely in; the left hand of the user. This resuits in aperfectly guided pendulum swing from a natural stance and the user may concentrate onthe force of the swing controlled entirely by the right hand. I

The specific design of the club head i cooperates to facilitate the true pendulum swing. The structure shown brings about a low center of gravity'with most of the weight of the club' head being-at the rear of the connection between the s'hait and head". The scored impact face imparts aslight over spin" to the ball while the rounded cornersor streamline'""efiect reducesai'r resistance. The runners onthesole of the club head permits an accuratestroliing of the ball without material ground contact. All of these features cooperate to perfect thetrue pendulum swing resulting from the use of our putter. The top of the club head isprovide'd with guide lines I 8 as shown in Figure 8 to-indi'cate the line of flight andlimits of the balanced body portion. I

We claim:

I. A putterhaving ahead; a shaft adjacent the heel portion of the head and extending upwardly away from the toe portion, an extension on the upper end of said shaft having avertical portion, and a fulcrum bar on said extension located in a horizontal plane parallel with the-toe-heel axis of the head. a

2. A putter having a head, a shaft adjacent the heel portion of the head and extending upwardly away from the toe portion, an extension on the upper end of said shaft having a vertical portion, and a cross rocking bar for said extension located in a horizontal plane parallel with the toe-heel axis of the head.

3. A putter having a head, a shaft adjacent the heelportion of the head and; extending upwardly away from the toe portion, an extension on the I upper end of said shaft having a vertical portion,

a fulcrum bar on said extension located in a horizontal plane parallel with the toe-heel axis of the head, and separate means on the fulcrum bar inwhich the same is freely rotatable engageable with the fingers of one hand of the user on either side of the extension to support and fulcrum the club without physical contact therewith.

4. A putter having a head, a shaft adjacent the heel portion of the head and extending upwardly away from the toe portion, an extension on the upper end of said shaf-thaving a vertical portion,

a fulcrum bar on said extension located ina horizontal plane parallel: with: the toe-heelaxisof the head, and sleevesqonthe fulcrum bar-on; either side of the extension. in which the same is-freely rotatable.

JULES. R. STERNBERG. MARY L. B. STERNBERG.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 63,284 Challis Nov. 20, 1923 1,089,881 Taylor Mar. 10, 1914 1,140,399 Righter May 25, 1915' 1,467,714 Doerr Sept. '11 1923- 1,529,009 Carpenter Mar. 10, 1925 1,561,349- Murphy et a1 Nov. 10, 1925 1,615,038 Renter Jan. 18, 1927 1,6 6,377 Knight Feb. 1, 1927 1,913,821 Stumpf June 13, 1933 2,132,219 Pirie Oct. 4, 1938 2,204,974- Strasser June 18, 1 940 2,212,651 Sanderson Aug. 27, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,154 Great Britain 1901 

